Branches Quote by Robert Fortune
“Stunted varieties were generally chosen, particularly if they had the side branches opposite or regular, for much depends upon this; a one-sided tree is of no value in the eyes of the Chinese.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Chinese Empire and Its Trade, Robert Fortune, 1855
Chinese horticulturists preferred trees with balanced branching, viewing one‑sided growth as undesirable.
In simple terms: Balanced growth is valued; one‑sided trees are seen as worthless.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate symmetry in design and planning.
Themes
horticulture
culture
valuation
Mood
pragmatic
reflective
Type
observational
analytical
When to use this quote
- gardening
- urban planning
- product design
- landscape architecture
Key Concepts
Aesthetics
balance
utility
Questions to Reflect On
- How does symmetry affect perception of value?
- When might asymmetry be advantageous?
A Different Perspective
One‑sided growth may have functional benefits in certain contexts.
![“The book [There are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé?] is quite complex, and I was worried that it would be marketed as one-sided or flat, and I knew that Mickalene's [Tomas] work would be able to encompass all the many states of being that are in the book.” quote by Morgan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/006/morgan-parker-6193_able_the-book-there-are-more-beautiful-things_230543.jpg)
![“[States and the Federal government are] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch of the same government.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/401/thomas-jefferson-43_branches_states-and-the-federal-government-are-co_2619.jpg)
![“[The judiciary is] the least dangerous branch of our government.” quote by Alexander Bickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a72/alexander-bickel-99732_branches_the-judiciary-is-the-least-dangerous-bra_31760.jpg)
![“For some unknown reason, this [antiabortion] branch of Christianity cherishes the unborn and hates the living person.” quote by Vine Deloria Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/beb/vine-deloria-jr-23632_branches_for-some-unknown-reason-this-antiabortio_32756.jpg)